Study Suggests Nurses Wear "Do Not Interrupt" Signs

Study Suggests Nurses Wear "Do Not Interrupt" Signs

Interrupting a nurse who's either preparing or handing out medication can have very negative consequences.

Interrupting a nurse who's either preparing or handing out medication can have very negative consequences.

So much so that a new study suggests they be made to wear signs reading: "Do Not Interrupt." Researchers in Australia say each time a nurse is interrupted the risk of a clinical error goes up by more than 12%.

The errors themselves become more severe with repeated interruptions. Without any distractions at all, the researchers noted that "the estimated risk of major error was 2.3%."